SUB-postmasters who escape the culling of 2,500 branches could still lose their livelihood after it was revealed that up to 8,000 branches were running at a loss.

SUB-postmasters who escape the culling of 2,500 branches could still lose their livelihood after it was revealed that up to 8,000 branches were running at a loss.

The fresh threat to the beleaguered post office network comes amid renewed calls to privatise Royal Mail and after Babergh District Council claimed it had been restricted to a “limited” consultation role despite representing about 84,000 residents.

The criticism comes as under-fire Post Office bosses continue their six week consultation into the controversial closure of 67 branches in south Suffolk and east Essex, which ends on November 19.

The final decision on the 67 will be made in January with 51 facing out right closure and 16 to be replaced by an out reach service in village halls and pubs.

Sheila McCann, the Post Office's network development manager for the East of England, said she could give no guarantees about further closures, a recent meeting of Babergh District Council was told.

The latest concerns came as Babergh published its official response to the cuts and voiced fears about the impact of the closures.

Corporate director Mike Hammond wrote: “Babergh also has deep and real concerns about the minimal and limited nature of the involvement of parish and town councils in the process, believing that they could have provided valuable insights into the community development role that post offices provide in certain villages. This is a significant and worrying omission.”

A Post Office spokesman said it would be impossible to guarantee the remaining post offices in Suffolk and that the initial list of 67 threatened branches could still be amended and changed.